Disaster & Emergency Management Conferencehttps://anzdmc.com.au
WebsiteMon, 19 Mar 2018 01:00:33 +0000en-UShourly1https://wordpress.org/?v=4.8.595578088Floods don’t occur randomly, so why do we still plan as if they do?https://anzdmc.com.au/2018/03/19/floods-dont-occur-randomly-still-plan/
https://anzdmc.com.au/2018/03/19/floods-dont-occur-randomly-still-plan/#respondMon, 19 Mar 2018 01:00:33 +0000https://anzdmc.com.au/?p=2849Most major floods in South East Queensland arrive in five-year bursts, once every 40 years or so, according to our new research. Yet flood estimation, protection and management approaches are still designed on the basis that flood risk stays the same all the time – despite clear evidence that it doesn’t. We analysed historical flooding data from ten

]]>Most major floods in South East Queensland arrive in five-year bursts, once every 40 years or so, according to our new research.

Yet flood estimation, protection and management approaches are still designed on the basis that flood risk stays the same all the time – despite clear evidence that it doesn’t.

We analysed historical flooding data from ten major catchments in South East Queensland. As we report in the Australasian Journal of Water Resources, 80% of significant floods arrived during five-year windows, with 35-year gaps of relative dryness between.

The early 1970s brought a succession of severe floods to South East Queensland. This was followed in the 1980s by a raft of floodplain development projects, together with extensive research on floodplains and flooding risk, carried out by a group of researchers who described themselves as the “Roadshow” because of their frequent visits to flood-prone regions.

Throughout the 1980s, some Roadshow members noticed that large floods in South East Queensland seemed to follow a 40-year cycle, with five-year periods of high flood risk separated by 35 years of lower flood risk. They speculated that the next “1974 flood” (a reference to a devastating flood that hit Brisbane and South East Queensland that year) would arrive some time around 2013 .

Sure enough, South East Queensland was once again hit by large floods in January 2011 and January 2013.

Evidently, large floods in South East Queensland are not random. This is a problem, given that development policies and engineering practice, by and large, still assume that they are.

History repeating

In 1931, the Queensland meteorologist and farmer Inigo Jones linked the Brisbane River’s floods to the Bruckner Cycle of solar activity, which he determined to be 35 years long, but which has since been found to vary from 35 to 45 years.

In 1972, flood engineer John Ward argued that flood frequency distributions differ in space and time because higher flows originate from a variety of different rainfall mechanisms. At the time, minimal insight was available into what those different rainfall mechanisms were.

In the 1990s, drought research in Queensland by, among others, researchers Roger Stone and Ken Brook and John Carter identified cyclical variations in Queensland rainfall associated with the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI), supporting the idea of non-random occurrence of floods.

In 1999, Australian hydrologist Robert French also noticed that irregular clustering of flood events was associated with the SOI, and pointed out that flood planning needed to take into account more than just seasonal or year to year variability.

More recently, flood incidence has been strongly linked to large-scale ocean processes such as the El Niño/Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the Interdecadal Pacific Oscillation (IPO). These phenomena seem to have a marked effect on eastern Australian rainfall variability, and therefore on the risk of both floods and drought.

Is the 40-year cycle real?

We compiled records of major floods in South East Queensland between 1890 and 2014. As the table below shows, roughly 80% of large historical floods happened within a series of five-year flood-prone periods, despite these periods together representing only 16% of the study period.

On average, the number of large floods per year was 4.9 times higher within the five-year flood-prone periods.

Not only were floods more frequent, they were also more severe, with flood heights 41% higher during the five-year flood-prone periods than at other times.

Even though a few large floods occurred outside the five-year flood-prone periods, the 40-year cycle of flooding in South East Queensland appears to be a genuine phenomenon.

]]>https://anzdmc.com.au/2018/03/19/floods-dont-occur-randomly-still-plan/feed/02849Join us at The Star Gold Coast this May!https://anzdmc.com.au/2018/03/14/join-us-star-gold-coast-may/
https://anzdmc.com.au/2018/03/14/join-us-star-gold-coast-may/#respondWed, 14 Mar 2018 01:00:11 +0000https://anzdmc.com.au/?p=2844The 2018 Australian and New Zealand Disaster and Emergency Management Conference will this year be held over the 21-22 May at The Star Gold Coast. The ANZDMC continues to grow in both size and reputation and this conference has evolved into the premium event of its type, facilitating professional development and the exchange of current

]]>The 2018 Australian and New Zealand Disaster and Emergency Management Conference will this year be held over the 21-22 May at The Star Gold Coast.

The ANZDMC continues to grow in both size and reputation and this conference has evolved into the premium event of its type, facilitating professional development and the exchange of current ideas and practices between emergency and disaster management practitioners from Australia and Internationally.

Mr John Yates, Director of Security, Scentre Group and Westfield Corporation

Major General Greg Bilton, Deputy Chief of Joint Operations, Department of Defence – Army

Discounts are available to groups and those attending both the 2018 Australian and New Zealand Disaster and Emergency Management Conference and the2018 Australian and New Zealand Search and Rescue Conference, which will run consecutively at the same venue.Early Bird Registrations Close Monday 9 April!

Conference Venue, The Star Gold Coast (formerly known as Jupiters Gold Coast) boasts a variety of accommodation options with 596 superbly appointed guest rooms, including 29 suites with private balconies or sun terraces. Relax in five-star luxury, then live it up with first class entertainment, six restaurants, eight trendy bars, a live international stage spectacular and 24-hour casino. It’s the perfect oasis for an unforgettable holiday!

We’re looking forward to another successful event in 2018 and we hope to see you there!

For further information on the 2018 Australian and New Zealand Disaster and Emergency Management Conference and to secure your spot at this exciting annual event, visit www.anzdmc.com.au.

]]>https://anzdmc.com.au/2018/03/14/join-us-star-gold-coast-may/feed/02844The M7.8 Kaikoura Earthquake: Lessons in Social Media and Communicationhttps://anzdmc.com.au/2018/03/08/kaikoura-earthquake-lessons-social-media/
https://anzdmc.com.au/2018/03/08/kaikoura-earthquake-lessons-social-media/#respondThu, 08 Mar 2018 00:30:34 +0000https://anzdmc.com.au/?p=2824At 12.02am November 14, 2016 the ground began to shake on the South Island of New Zealand. The earthquake ruptured along an approximately 180 kilometre length of the coast and displaced the ground horizontally and vertically by up to 12 metres. The rupture lasted nearly 2 minutes, and thousands of people were affected. The magnitude

]]>At 12.02am November 14, 2016 the ground began to shake on the South Island of New Zealand.

The earthquake ruptured along an approximately 180 kilometre length of the coast and displaced the ground horizontally and vertically by up to 12 metres. The rupture lasted nearly 2 minutes, and thousands of people were affected. The magnitude 7.8 Kaikoura earthquake involved 21 faults, a tricky tsunami, caused over 10,000 landslides and has had over 20,000 aftershocks to date, is now known to be one of the most complex earthquakes ever recorded with modern instruments.

GeoNet’s #emergencycute Tweets

GeoNet (New Zealand’s geological hazard monitoring agency) was the first agency to comment on the event via Twitter and then Facebook from 12.05 a.m. Social media was very active, as we began to access the size and location of the earthquake, and it rapidly became clear that this event was significant in size and impact.

GeoNet kept the public up to date with information as it became available, with multiple tweets/posts and news stories with science information, and let them know we were right there with them during this scary time.

The successful Kaikoura social media response was built on years of dedicated work on social media platforms, beginning in 2010. Following the devastating earthquakes in Canterbury 2010/2011, GeoNet became a household name and we discovered the importance of social media to get information out to large numbers of people and responding agencies quickly.

Our lesson has been; communicate clearly, communicate often. We have honest conversations to foster trust with our audience, post empathetic messages and created ways to keep help lighten the mood during stressful times, our #emergencycute posts have been a favourite. Our website news stories have also evolved and are now written in first person and have a more conversational tone.

With more than 107,000 people on Facebook and 73,000 people on Twitter, GeoNet has become one of the most followed public agencies in New Zealand and we hope as our audience grows, we grow with it and find new ways to best present our science and support the public.

This update was kindly provided by Sara Page of GeoNet, who presented at the 2017 Australian & New Zealand Disaster & Emergency Management Conference.

To check out what’s on at the 2018 Australian & New Zealand Disaster & Emergency Management Conference, click here.

]]>https://anzdmc.com.au/2018/03/08/kaikoura-earthquake-lessons-social-media/feed/02824The Disaster After 9/11: First Responders Share Their Storieshttps://anzdmc.com.au/2018/03/06/disaster-911-first-responders/
https://anzdmc.com.au/2018/03/06/disaster-911-first-responders/#commentsTue, 06 Mar 2018 00:30:35 +0000https://anzdmc.com.au/?p=2791On a hot August day in 2005, I met with Marian Fontana in a little cafe across the road from her firefighter husband Dave’s firehouse in Park Slope, Brooklyn. Marian and Dave should have been celebrating their eighth wedding anniversary on the afternoon of September 11, 2001 – the day of the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

]]>On a hot August day in 2005, I met with Marian Fontana in a little cafe across the road from her firefighter husband Dave’s firehouse in Park Slope, Brooklyn.

Marian and Dave should have been celebrating their eighth wedding anniversary on the afternoon of September 11, 2001 – the day of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Dave had just completed a 24-hour shift at his Brooklyn firehouse with Squad 1 when Marian phoned him that morning to confirm their plans for the day. Aidan, five years old, had his first day at school and Marian and Dave had been looking forward to spending the day together. He was done he told her, and they organised to meet at a local cafe. “That was it” she said. “No profound discussions”. She can’t even remember if she told him she loved him. “We always did” she says, “but ingrained habits are forgotten sometimes”.

John Feal, Founder of the Fealgood Foundation, dedicated to advocating on behalf of the 9/11 first responders

As she waited at the cafe, Marian noticed people taking animatedly around her, some staring up at the sky. “I heard the words ‘airplane’ and ‘twin towers’” and then a friend approached her at the cafe and told her “a plane just crashed into the twin towers.” As Marian looked up, she saw a thick black cloud of smoke stretching across the perfectly blue sky from downtown Manhattan. She knew it was a big job, and she knew Dave would have gone.

She got home in time to turn on the television and witness the devastation – both towers of the World Trade Center were on fire. Marian watched as a man in a green shirt tucked his knees up, like a kid doing a cannonball into a pool, and jumped from one of the towers. “What’s happening?” she asked the television.

And then she heard it. A low, guttural rumbling sound coming from her television. The South Tower fell. She knew, she said, in an instant that Dave was dead.

She couldn’t avert her eyes from the television – searching the ash-covered faces of those trying to flee the carnage, looking for the familiar features of Dave. The waiting for news was torturous. Grabbing the phone each time it rang, desperately hoping that it was Dave calling to say he was OK. Friends and neighbours called, some arrived with food. Although she hadn’t smoked in thirteen years, she lit a cigarette. Around lunch time, crying and pacing around the apartment she shared with Dave, Marian and her friends started to call the emergency departments of hospitals surrounding the World Trade Center. There are busy signals and confused nurses. They check their lists for Dave’s name.

Doctors and nurses in the hospitals near the towers were waiting, but the emergency rooms are virtually empty.

Around 1130pm, Firefighter Tony Edwards and Lieutenant Dennis Farrell from Squad 1 arrived, looking tired yet official. Marian had imagined this day, she says, ever since Dave started working as a firefighter. “I pictured myself perplexed as to why the fire company has arrived. A Captain steps forward and it suddenly dawns on me why they are there. I cry out, collapsing in the hall, my chest hurting and my stomach dropping”. “None of it comes close” she tells me “to the sonic blast” she feels when it happens in real life.

“We didn’t find any of the guys” Tony tells Marian. “The whole company is missing”.

David Fontana, a member of Park Slope’s elite Squad 1, died with his team as they climbed the stairs of the South Tower to rescue thousands of trapped civilians. Squad 1 lost half of its men at the World Trade Center – 12 brave “brothers” among the 413 first responders that died that day, desperately trying to help others.

As I sat across from Marian, I asked her how she was coping, especially with the fourth anniversary looming at the time. She seemed surprisingly resilient, although I am sure moments of pure, raw grief are dealt with in private. But today, instead of talking about her own devastation, she is more worried about the plight of the surviving responders. She tells me that she often thinks about how Dave would have coped with 9/11 if he had survived – how traumatised he would have been by what he witnessed at Ground Zero, by losing so many of his friends and colleagues. She wonders if their marriage would have survived 9/11.

“So there is nothing you can do for me” she tells me. “But it’s the guys that have been left behind. They are haunted by what they saw, what they had to do, how many guys were lost. They are the ones we need to be worried about.”

And as it turns out, she was right.

Now, almost seventeen years after 9/11, the impact on the surviving responders is ongoing. Traumatised by 9/11 – because what they experienced has not ended. New cases of 9/11-related illness are diagnosed regularly amongst the surviving responders. Cancer rates are around 15% higher in those who were exposed to Ground Zero compared to those who were not. More than 1000 responders have died in the years following 9/11 of causes directly related to the time they spent on “the pile” and over 7000 are currently being treated for 9/11-related illnesses. Nearly 2000 have had to retire due to 9/11-related injuries and illness.

The mental health impact is also staggering. Many responders still live with anxiety and PTSD, haunted by quirks of fate. Why did they survive when so many others perished? Survivor guilt is persistent and nightmares still interupt their sleep. Many struggle to find the words to describe their experiences.

The reality is that the death toll from the terrorist attacks grows larger each year, and while the physical wounds may have healed, the emotional scars remain for many responders, even now. In many cases, the ongoing impact of 9/11 has shattered families and destroyed lives in a never-ending reverberation of pain and suffering.

This update was kindly provided by Dr Erin Smith, Course Coordinator, School of Medical and Health Sciences, Edith Cowan University; Member, Board of Directors, World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine.

Dr Smith presented at the 2017 Australian & New Zealand Disaster and Emergency Management Conference.

]]>https://anzdmc.com.au/2018/03/06/disaster-911-first-responders/feed/12791Community Resilience and Community Led Recovery: One is Reality, the Other an Achievable Goalhttps://anzdmc.com.au/2018/03/02/resilient-communities-community-led-recovery/
https://anzdmc.com.au/2018/03/02/resilient-communities-community-led-recovery/#respondFri, 02 Mar 2018 00:30:23 +0000https://anzdmc.com.au/?p=2783Australian emergency management strategies, frameworks and plans consistently reflect the desire to create and support resilient communities, capable of responding and adapting to any disaster that affects them. This aspiration is reflected at the national level (the National Strategy for Disaster Resilience, 2011), and at the state level (e.g. the Victorian Community Resilience Framework,

]]>Australian emergency management strategies, frameworks and plans consistently reflect the desire to create and support resilient communities, capable of responding and adapting to any disaster that affects them.

This aspiration is reflected at the national level (the National Strategy for Disaster Resilience, 2011), and at the state level (e.g. the Victorian Community Resilience Framework, 2017). Local Councils are also engaging with this work, as the level of government closest to affected communities. Principles for Disaster Recovery. In contrast, many communities describe the

‘Community led recovery’ is often the aspiration, as reflected in the National assistance they receive as ‘the second disaster’. Rather than leading the process, they often feel dis-empowered. Government and non-government organisations struggle with how to enable community led planning, preparation, response or recovery.

The language used by agencies differs from the language of communities themselves. This difference can erode trust and prevent the relationship needed to enable community led action and community resilience. There is also a view (conscious or not) that communities are incapable of leading recovery after a crisis. The evidence of my research strongly suggests that this is not true.

The focus of my work is to empower the voice and actions of communities. I work with agencies and communities to ‘translate’ between them, and to assist in establishing a relationship of trust and openness, so that communities and agencies can work together to strengthen resilient communities.

The key protective factors for resilient communities in the face of natural disaster are as follows:

Before the crisis:

Pre-existing social and community capital (including leadership)

Disaster planning and preparation

Community history, identity and shared values

A sense of attachment to place.

During and after the crisis:

Respectful engagement between the community, response and recovery agencies and other ‘outsiders’

Community leadership – both pre-existing and emergent

Community engagement and action

Partnerships with individuals, groups and communities (led by the locals)

The most important lesson for policy makers and service delivery agencies is to listen to affected communities, to work in partnership, and to follow their lead.

This update was kindly provided by Dr Margaret Moreton, Principal at Leva Consulting, who presented ‘Community Resilience and Community Led Recovery: One is Reality, the Other an Achievable Goal’ at the 2017 Australian & New Zealand Disaster and Emergency Management Conference.

]]>https://anzdmc.com.au/2018/03/02/resilient-communities-community-led-recovery/feed/02783Night vision goggles the new firefighting tool for aerial crewshttps://anzdmc.com.au/2018/02/27/night-vision-goggles-new-firefighting-tool-aerial-crews/
https://anzdmc.com.au/2018/02/27/night-vision-goggles-new-firefighting-tool-aerial-crews/#respondTue, 27 Feb 2018 01:00:12 +0000https://anzdmc.com.au/?p=2785Fighting fires from the air at night will be a “game changer” according to Emergency Management commissioner Craig Lapsley. Rather than grounding the fleet of helicopters and aircraft that water-bomb fires during daylight hours, an Australian-first trial is proving that firebombers can continue operations at night with the right technology and safety considerations. “We know

Fighting fires from the air at night will be a “game changer” according to Emergency Management commissioner Craig Lapsley.

Rather than grounding the fleet of helicopters and aircraft that water-bomb fires during daylight hours, an Australian-first trial is proving that firebombers can continue operations at night with the right technology and safety considerations.

“We know some of these fires run as hard in the night hours as in daylight hours so it’s important to have this capability,” Mr Lapsley said.

“It will change the way the whole operations works. Currently we have to put aircraft on the ground about 8pm and can’t lift off until at least daylight, but being able to fly in to the early part of an evening when fires are still running hard, burning property and threatening communities will be a huge advantage for firefighters.

“And in the morning, getting out in the early part of the morning around 4am or 5am in the coolest part of the day if the fire is running it gives us the best opportunity to be out there controlling it before the heat of the day sets in.”

GAME CHANGER: Coulson Aviation chief pilot Jim Tarnowski dons the night vision goggles in the cockpit of the S-76 Firebird as part of an Australian-first trial of night-time aerial firefighting. Picture: Luka Kauzlaric

Mr Lapsley said the night fire bombing trials were leading the world in that pilots were hovering over a dam or water supply to pick up water at night before dumping it on a fire.

The giant Sikorsky S61 aircraft leading the night-time firefight can dump up to 4000 litres of water on a fire at a time, and will be directed exactly where to drop the water by a second “Firebird” aircraft.

Where night fire bombing is used overseas, helicopters fly back to a base to receive another load of water rather than sucking it up from water source.

“We have already flown last week to prove we could pick up water from a water source at night … and this week will go on to put fires out,” Mr Lapsley said.

Emergency services have been working toward this trial for about two years.

“We want to make sure we can get the best out of our aircraft and make sure we can put fires out not only in the day but to at night to support our firefighters on the ground who are at the fire front,” Mr Lapsley said.

The trial will take place this week around Ballarat, meaning more helicopter noise is likely for residents under their flightpath but Mr Lapsley promised helicopters would be back on the ground for the night by 11pm.

Crews from Coulson Helicopters, who conduct night fire bombing in the US, and Mangalore-based Kestrel Aviation, are working with Emergency Management Victoria on the trial which the Civil Aviation Safety Authority is assessing before it gives its approval.

Mr Lapsley said night time aerial firefighting would not be introduced until next fire season.

Night vision firefighting – how it works

Until now, firebombing aircraft have been grounded as the sun went down.

Using a combination of night vision goggles and a “Firebird” aircraft equipped with laser marking and infra-red capabilities, firebombing crews will be able to safely pick up water from open water sources near the fire ground and drop it in to the most dangerous fingers of flame.

The Firebird and its crew assess dams and water sources for potential dangers, including overhead electricity wires, overhanging trees, animals and other perils, before giving a green light to an approach and departure path for the incoming firebomber.

The firebomber then swoops in to suck up to 4000 litres of water through its hose as it hovers over the water before the Firebird directs the pilots where to drop their load.

]]>https://anzdmc.com.au/2018/02/27/night-vision-goggles-new-firefighting-tool-aerial-crews/feed/02785Developing Organisational Resilience: Organisational Mindfulness and Mindful Organisinghttps://anzdmc.com.au/2018/02/26/developing-organisational-mindfulness/
https://anzdmc.com.au/2018/02/26/developing-organisational-mindfulness/#respondMon, 26 Feb 2018 04:26:39 +0000https://anzdmc.com.au/?p=2779Safety science researchers have proposed that the fifth age of safety has begun and have identified it as an adaptive age, one which is being depicted as where a fluid adaptive organisational culture will need to exist and where leadership will also need to become ‘adaptive’ in order to cope with the increasing complexity of

]]>Safety science researchers have proposed that the fifth age of safety has begun and have identified it as an adaptive age, one which is being depicted as where a fluid adaptive organisational culture will need to exist and where leadership will also need to become ‘adaptive’ in order to cope with the increasing complexity of the socio-technical systems in which most work is now conducted.
Dr Karen Klockner

Fitting into this paradigm shift is the concept of Organisational Mindfulness which developed out of the research on High Reliability Organisational (HRO) theory, and later Organisational Resilience theory. Organisational mindfulness can be seen as a pro-social activity involving people within a workgroup that perform a number of actions, including valuing the experience of others, questioning assumptions about the best way to conduct work practices and using group based problem solving for everyday workplace issues which arise.

The key to the effectiveness of organisational mindfulness is acknowledged to be the close relationship between the workforce and the repertoire of actions conducted by them, where adaptive action is required to constrain instability and maintain the reliability of the organisation. At the group level it is expected that workers would be able to take notice of new variables and increase their ability to become aware of and deal with a greater number workplace issues, in essence being more ‘mindful’.

Mindless acts such as simplification of routines, and strict adherence to set job descriptions are discouraged and humans become valued for their flexibility and ability to both notice and respond to issues as they arise.

Current research is investigating the two developing concepts in this area being, Organisational Mindfulness and Mindful Organising and investigating how the workforce can assist in ensuring organisational remain resilient in the face of everyday and extraordinary operational events.

These adaptive theories point toward the notion that workers play an important role and are an adaptive system element to be understood and harnessed in order to create and enable safety, in effect valuing humans for their efforts in ensuring organisations are resilient.

This update was kindly provided by Dr Karen Klockner, who presented ‘Developing Organisational Resilience: Organisational Mindfulness and Mindful Organising’ at the 2017 Australian & New Zealand Disaster and Emergency Management Conference.

2018 Australian & New Zealand Disaster and Emergency Management Conference

The 2018 Australian & New Zealand Disaster and Emergency Management Conference will be held on the 21-22 May at the Star Gold Coast. Enjoy professional development and the exchange of current ideas and practices between emergency and disaster management practitioners from Australia and New Zealand and further afield.

]]>https://anzdmc.com.au/2018/02/26/developing-organisational-mindfulness/feed/02779Join us at the 2018 ANZ Disaster & Emergency Management Conferencehttps://anzdmc.com.au/2018/02/19/join-us-at-the-2018-anz-disaster-emergency-management-conference/
https://anzdmc.com.au/2018/02/19/join-us-at-the-2018-anz-disaster-emergency-management-conference/#respondSun, 18 Feb 2018 19:00:02 +0000https://anzdmc.com.au/?p=2674Now in its 7th consecutive year, the 2018 Australian and New Zealand Disaster and Emergency Management Conference will this year be held over the 21-22 May at The Star Gold Coast. The ANZDMC continues to grow in both size and reputation and this conference has evolved into the premium event of its type, facilitating professional

]]>Now in its 7th consecutive year, the 2018 Australian and New Zealand Disaster and Emergency Management Conference will this year be held over the 21-22 May at The Star Gold Coast.

The ANZDMC continues to grow in both size and reputation and this conference has evolved into the premium event of its type, facilitating professional development and the exchange of current ideas and practices between emergency and disaster management practitioners from Australia and Internationally.

Conference Venue, The Star Gold Coast (formerly known as Jupiters Gold Coast) boasts a variety of accommodation options with 596 superbly appointed guest rooms, including 29 suites with private balconies or sun terraces. Relax in five-star luxury, then live it up with first class entertainment, six restaurants, eight trendy bars, a live international stage spectacular and 24-hour casino. It’s the perfect oasis for an unforgettable holiday!

We’re looking forward to another successful event in 2018 and we hope to see you there. If you would like further information on the 2018 Australian & New Zealand Disaster and Emergency Management Conference please visit www.anzdmc.com.au.

]]>https://anzdmc.com.au/2018/02/19/join-us-at-the-2018-anz-disaster-emergency-management-conference/feed/02674Australian Defence Force to assist Commonwealth Games security operationhttps://anzdmc.com.au/2018/02/16/australian-defence-force-assist-commonwealth-games-security-operation/
https://anzdmc.com.au/2018/02/16/australian-defence-force-assist-commonwealth-games-security-operation/#respondFri, 16 Feb 2018 10:00:25 +0000https://anzdmc.com.au/?p=2732The Australian Defence Force (ADF) will assist Gold Coast authorities in ensuring the security of the 2018 Commonwealth Games. The ADF, who are responsible for Australia’s army, navy and air force, will deploy 1,000 personnel to help with the effort. Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force will also assist the Queensland Police Service (QPS),

The Australian Defence Force (ADF) will assist Gold Coast authorities in ensuring the security of the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

The ADF, who are responsible for Australia’s army, navy and air force, will deploy 1,000 personnel to help with the effort.

Australian Federal Police and Australian Border Force will also assist the Queensland Police Service (QPS), who are the lead agency in charge of security at April’s Games. The support was confirmed by Australia’s Minister for Home Affairs Peter Dutton and Minister for Defence Marise Payne.

“We cannot be complacent,” Dutton said. “Security arrangements for the Commonwealth Games remain under constant review to ensure we are best-placed to meet any challenges. “Our law enforcement and security agencies are among the best in the world and are working tirelessly with event organisers to deliver a safe and secure Games.”

Defence helicopters and aircraft are set to conduct flights over Gold Coast prior to the Games to ensure they can operate safely in built up areas. The ADF are expected to provide operational, logistical and transport personnel, while the extra border force officers will be based at Gold Coast airport.

“An essential part of the ADF’s security preparations for the Commonwealth Games involves training and familiarisation activities,” Payne said. “This training includes integrated planning and combined exercises around key infrastructure – soldiers will be visible on the streets.

“Defence has extensive experience providing security assistance to major national events, including the G20 Leaders’ Summit in 2014, the 2006 Commonwealth Games in Melbourne, and the 2000 Sydney Olympics. “ADF’s training is designed to ensure we can manage any request if called upon by QPS throughout the duration of the Games. “The Government appreciates the support and understanding of local communities to enable law enforcement agencies and the ADF to conduct vital training and activities in support of QPS.

“Operation ATLAS is the codename for the ADF contribution to the security of the 2018 Commonwealth Games.”

Police and emergency services held a two-day training exercise earlier this month, with police tactical units, paramedics and firefighters taking part in the drills.

]]>https://anzdmc.com.au/2018/02/16/australian-defence-force-assist-commonwealth-games-security-operation/feed/02732What’s On at the 2018 Australian & New Zealand Disaster and Emergency Management Conference?https://anzdmc.com.au/2018/02/08/disaster-emergency-management-conference/
https://anzdmc.com.au/2018/02/08/disaster-emergency-management-conference/#respondThu, 08 Feb 2018 01:45:10 +0000https://anzdmc.com.au/?p=2635Take a look at what’s on at this year’s Australian & New Zealand Disaster and Emergency Management Conference and discover who you can meet, what you can learn, and how you can actively contribute to the future of the disaster and emergency management industry. 2018 Keynote Speakers Featured speakers at the Australian & New Zealand Disaster and

]]>Take a look at what’s on at this year’s Australian & New Zealand Disaster and Emergency Management Conference and discover who you can meet, what you can learn, and how you can actively contribute to the future of the disaster and emergency management industry.

2018 Keynote Speakers

Featured speakers at the Australian & New Zealand Disaster and Emergency Management Conference encompass a variety of different working experience in the field. Listen to their experiences and discover new ideas on industry growth and future plans.

Major General Greg Bilton, Deputy Chief of Joint Operations, Department of Defence – Army

Discussion topics

Topics of discussion at this year’s Conference include:

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

Leadership During Emergencies, Crisis Management

Lessons Learned

Humanitarian

Volunteer Management

Public/ Private Partnership

Evidence Based Research

Support and Wellness

If you want to take a more active approach to these discussion topics, consider submitting an abstract to present. Submissions close Monday 12th February.

Social events

If you’re looking for a laid back environment to mix and mingle with like-minded industry professionals, the Australian & New Zealand Disaster and Emergency Management Conference is hosting a number of social events throughout the Conference period, including a welcome reception and closing drinks function.

Want more?

As a full registration delegate at this year’s Conference, you receive:

Attendance to Conference sessions and keynote presentations

Conference materials, including handbook and Book of Abstracts (online)

Soft copy of the Book of Proceedings (available after the Conference)

Access to presenter podcasts following the Conference

Meals for the duration of the Conference including morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea